Vietnam Chocolate
Sweet Winnings for TBROS Bean to Bar Artisan Chocolate’s
Read: 4 minutes
When you think of Vietnam, what comes to mind? Coffee dark and robust, Banh Mi Sandwich crispy roll filled with the goodness of fresh veggies and meats, tailored fashion, and textiles, some might think of the war of the past, which has influenced by default beautiful Vietnam with the flavors of the world.
Do you think of Artisan Single Origin Dark Chocolate, an award-winning London Academy of Chocolate chocolatier?
70% bean-to-bar Pepper Chocolate? Grown, processed, and manufactured in Vietnam.
I attended an event in Da Nang, Vietnam that showcased several local purveyors with their products. I was blown away by the quality of the products and packaging. I had not seen or heard of many of the products I encountered. I discovered TBROS Chocolates. I sampled their 70% Bean-to-Bar Pepper Chocolate, a blend of dark chocolate and black pepper; only a slight bit of cane sugar is added to round out the flavor. The notes of the black pepper are not overpowering and let the 70% dark cocoa butter chocolate present itself at the forefront. This chocolate would be a great alone or accompaniment to a glass of red wine.
Another use would be in a sauce. It would complement and cut the fatty juices of steaks or roasts.
These ideas were racing through my mind at the first taste of this prestige chocolate. As I continued to sample a couple of flavors of chocolate TBROS offered me, I soon told myself I must visit their storefront in Da Nang, Vietnam, which has been open for five years.
Trinh greeted me when I arrived at the TBROS Chocolate Shop. My eyes were delighted with the case filled with handcrafted truffles of wide varieties. The shop was colorful, with attractive chocolate boxes filling their shelves. Trinh told me that they designed their packaging with the thought that their customers would like to experience several chocolate flavors in one of their multiple-flavor chocolate boxes. Accommodating their customers’ wishes. TBROS makes the perfect bite-size square of chocolates, allowing clients to decide which chocolate best fits their palate.
Using handmade coconut fiber paper for wrapping larger chocolate bars, their thoughtfulness to sustainability is one of the company’s missions.
The Owner, Thong Nguyen, took the time to speak with me to give me more in-depth information on how 100% Pure Cocoa Powder is processed and the different products he has produced and exported.
Did you know that Cacao Fruit is not used in the first year of the tree-producing fruit? Mr. Nguyen told me his company cut down the Cacao Fruit the first year of not using it. The reason is the tree and the roots must be strong enough to hold the fruit. Allowing the first year’s fruit to be cut down enables the tree to grow stronger to bear the heavier fruit for the following year’s harvest. Another fact I learned was the farm TBROS cultivates is located in a province of Vietnam, Dak Lak. The soil and climate are perfect for drying and growing Cacao. You may ask what the difference is between Cacao and Cocoa; the wording can be very similar and used interchangeably.
Cacao is cocoa in its raw, less processed form. Cacao pods of various colors, white pulp, and seeds are cracked open and taken out to begin fermentation. They are dried, roasting, extracted, and grinding the inner center of the bean called the nibs. Once the nibs are ground up, it creates a liquor of chocolate which then Cocoa butter is separately extracted, and the remainder of the liquor is dried and ground into cocoa powder. The combination of liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar is a straightforward way to produce a delicious dark piece of chocolate.
The amount of cocoa liquor used to make chocolate is how the percentage of Cacao you see on the package of your favorite chocolate products is determined.
The Cacao Pod color makes a difference also. Did you know? A green pod is best for a rounded, smooth chocolate taste. A yellow pod is a medium alkaline with some bitterness and a light chocolate taste. A red pod is more substantial in alkaline and bitter and has a low chocolate flavor until fermentation is completed. Different products and balances can be reached for each desired flavor profile by mixing the other color pods. These colors also contribute to the antioxidants, dietary fiber, and proteins found naturally in chocolate. There are more than 10 milligrams of iron in a 100 gm serving of Dark Chocolate. The amino acid in Dark Chocolate contains tryptophan which helps your brain to relax. Another reason to keep chocolate nearby.
I asked Mr. Nguyen if his 100% Pure Cocoa Powder was alkaline due to its deep dark color. I was surprised by his reply. His 100% Cocoa Powder is not alkaline. The deep color and smooth taste come from the drying process, which removes, in his words, the “sour” flavor that makes his cocoa powder flavor extremely balanced. Mr. Nguyen said they do not use alkaline processing. That being said, it makes it more difficult for his company to sell to big bakeries because most commercial bakeries follow large chemical reactionary baking recipes to mass-produce baked goods. TBROS 100% non-alkaline cocoa powder is more manageable for smaller artesian bakeries. He hopes one day, larger bakeries will adapt to newer products as his cocoa powder and other varieties of chocolate products are grown and produced with sustainable crops.
Mr. Nguyen shared with me that he hired an artist to draw on the handmade coconut fiber paper the design which raised the texture feel of the bar when you hold it. In holding the products a stunning look and feel. The art depicts step-by-step, representing the journey of chocolate production. That is only one of the many details Mr. Nguyen has taken to ensure that every aspect of his customers’ experience from start to finish is gratifying.
TBROS now exports to many countries, such as Canada and Hong Kong, and has won a Silver award of Excellence in the Netherlands for its chocolates. TBROS other accolades include the Academy of Chocolate showing ten awards in London, 3 Silvers, and 7 Bronzes for chocolate, powder, and packaging in 2018. TBROS is proud of its achievements as the First Vietnamese Chocolate to have these awards.
One of the best-selling bars is the 70% Dark Chocolate, So Co La Sua Dark Milk Chocolate, and 100% Dark Chocolate. Customers’ favorite truffle flavors are the Lime Truffle and the Salted Carmel Truffle. Honestly, with the innovative profiles of these truffles, I don’t think you could make a poor choice with any chocolates TBROS introduced to you.
I purchased a couple of boxes of their assorted specialty truffles to share with friends and the 100% Pure Cocoa Powder that my baking buddies were thrilled to receive!
I have included a link to TBROS. They can also be found on Facebook.
Thank you, Mr.Thong Nguyen and Trinh, for hosting me in your lovely shop in Da Nang, Vietnam. I still have sweet dreams of the chocolates I relished that day.
Discovering local companies with exceptional ingredients and highlighting them for the world to see is my mission.
Wishing The Food Scholar Community a sweet February,
Shelly
The Food Scholar
I have included a link to TBROS. They can also be found on Facebook.
Thank you, Mr.Thong Nguyen and Trinh, for hosting me in your lovely shop in Da Nang, Vietnam. I still have sweet dreams of the chocolates I relished that day.
Discovering local companies with exceptional ingredients and highlighting them for the world to see is my mission.
Wishing The Food Scholar Community a Sweet February,
Shelly
The Food Scholar